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Screenwriters strike for fair deal
161/Bernie Corbett
Bernie Corbett is general secretary of the Writers Guild of Great Britain. Additional reporting by Barry White.
DATELINE: 24/1/08Who has a worse copyright deal than journalists? 12,000 American screenwriters, apparently, who have been on strike demanding higher royalties on DVD sales plus the introduction of payments for internet downloads, currently a royalty-free zone. The strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is mainly centred on Los Angeles and New York, but for one day on Wednesday 28 November, it became a global fight with pickets and demonstrations in London, Cardiff, Ireland, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and various other places.
The London demonstration was organised by the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) and took place on the steps of the TUC. It was joined by supporters from the NUJ, Equity and other unions - as well as some expat US writers.
Playwright David Edgar, president of the WGGB, said the American writers’ fight was for the recognition of the fundamental right of authorship. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber pledged support and actor Timothy West also addressed the demo. Everybody sported authentic WGA t-shirts and placards.
American screenwriters are contracted on the “work-for-hire” arrangement, which means that all their rights belong to the giant networks and studios. This is similar to the terms under which UK newspapers and magazines employ staff journalists - and also, in many cases, freelances.
The WGA negotiates fees, royalties, credits, health care and other contractual details but for 20 years screenwriters have received only four cents on every $20 DVD. They want this doubled, and they want royalties extended to internet downloads, for which they currently receive nothing - the media corporations say downloads are "promotional" even when they are paid for or financed by advertising.
Within a few days the strike halted topical chat shows and shooting of many drama and comedy series. As supplies of camera-ready scripts ran out, the American TV and film industries were rapidly grinding to a halt. The strike, which began on 5 November, is in its early days compared to their last one in 1988, which was settled after a five-month stoppage. But on 6 December, after two days of further discussions aimed at settling the dispute, the Writers Guild said it had held "substantive" talks with the studios, but was still waiting for a response to all of its proposals. However, the next day, 7 December, the employers abruptly ended negotiations by once again walking out and leaving WGA negotiators alone at the table.
The writers have been supported by many actors and directors, who will be pressing similar claims when their own union agreements expire in June 2008. Said one commentator on You Tube: "Thanks for reminding the world that the issues at stake in the American Writer’s Guild strike are important to all writers everywhere: The right of the writer to own and profit from the proliferation of their work, whatever the medium, is a universal right that holds true not just in America but all over the world”. For the Writers Guild of America and a video of the 28 November demonstrations follow the links.
LINKSWriters' Guild of America
YoutTube video of demo
Last modified: Thursday, January 24, 2008
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World Press Freedom Day
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